Description of Kosovo in The London Gazette newspaper

Vienna, January 8. The last letters from Bulgaria give this description of the names and situation of the occupied countries in those parts, hitherto very little known, because they have been so long under the subjection of the Turks. Prishtina is the main city of the province of Kosovo, where the Forces, under the command of the Duke of Holstein, now have their headquarters. Between Pristina and Skopje, the imperialists possess the strong fortress of Kaçanik, and a little further to the left, the fortress of Orizare (?), and, farther towards Sofia, the fortress of Novo-Bërdo or Monte-Nuovo, and of Vranja; As for Skopje, being a place without strength and with an extent too great to hold, our troops abandoned it, after they had plundered it and set fire to the city.

Besides these points, which are located far away within the Turkish territories, the Imperial Forces are, on the side of Albania, masters of Prizren, or of Breseren, of Pershi (?), of Tetova, and of several other places; and towards Bosnia, Mitrovica, Banjska, Vučiterna and all other important posts, with the exception of the Castle of Zveçan, which is still in the hands of the Turks; by which those of Bosnia are cut off from all communication with the Province of Albania, except through the road of Herzegovina. The city of Veles, where Mr. Janowki performed the gallant act mentioned in our last letter, [this city] stands on the other side of Skopje, in the middle of a narrow neck leading towards Macedonia, about three days' march from Thessalonica : In this place, the said Janowki, not only defeated 3,000 Turks with a small detachment he had with him, but also took the city, which he plundered and burned, and then advanced towards Tikvesh, which lies in the road to Thessalonica, but finding that 5,000 Turks were on their march to Veles, though he was able to retire with his booty; but died a few days later due to his injuries. These sources further say, that 10,000 Tartars, who had crossed the Danube at Nicopolis, advanced towards Skopje, burning and ravaging all the country before them; and that on receiving this news, the Duke of Holstein had gathered his forces around Pristina and was marching against them [the Turks].

Source: The London Gazette, 20–23 January 1689 [1690], no. 2525. Printed material.